Process of manufacturing piping, welting or the like



33 1935- A. w. ROCKWOOD I I 2,001,693

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING PIPING, WELTING, OR THEYLIKE Original Fild Dec; 17, 1932- atwowwg y Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED, STATES,

PATENT OFFICE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING PIPING, WELTING OR THE LIKE Original application December 17, 1932, Serial 647,774. Divided and this application December 15, 1933, Serial No. 702,494

2 Claims.

My present invention is a novel and improved method or process of manufacturing piping, welting, finishing strips, or the like, and the present application is a divisional of my prior and copending application Ser. No. 647,774, filed December 17, 1932, in which prior application I have elected to claim the improved piping, welting, finishing strip, or the like as an article of manufacture when made by my improved process as herein claimed.

Herctolore, in the manufacture of piping, welting, and the like it has been customary in making such finishing strips to sew or stitch several layers together, or to unite them by adhesive, and utilize one of the layers as a means for carrying adhesive to attach the finishing strip to the resultant article, such as a shoe, upholstery, automobile, garment, or the like.

Much difficulty has been experienced with such prior methods as being complex, diflicult toinake and handle, requiring interposed strips to protect the adhesive when the finished piping is supplied in rolls for use, and the same deteriorates quickly, viz., where adhesive is employed, the finishing strip must be used promptly before the cement used loses its efficacy.

It is an object of my present invention to eliminate the difliculties heretofore found with prior methods of manufacture, and the article produced thereby, to simplify the process and to provide a new and improved piping article which will be capable of use long after it hasbeen manufactured and supplied in rolls-six months or one or two years. This enables these piping strips to be kept in stock and supplied promptly when called for instead of requiring same to be manufactured for use on special orders.

.A further novel and improved object of the present invention is to construct a piping strip which will eliminate all danger of the layers becoming separated through deterioration of the cement used. This is a most important feature, and in prior articles of this type a relatively short'lapse of time or exposure to the air would so disintegrate or dry up the adhesive employed as to render the same useless, and where a plurality of layers, strips, folds, or the like constitute the piping, they would break apartrendering the entire roll of piping useless.

My present invention obviatessuch a difficulty, and while two layers are employed, I have unifled the same into one homogeneous mass by a novel method of coating, treating, and fusing the same.

In carrying out my invention according to the preferred method, I first apply to a cloth or fabric base a pyroxylin coating, or any of the wellknown leather imitation coatings, treating one surface of the cloth or textile material therewith. This may be, and preferably is, done in large sheets. Thereafter I cut strips of appropriate width from such sheets and fold over the edges, keeping the treated surface on the outer side of the fold. With the folded strip thus formed, I then apply a second similarly treated strip, preferably narrower than the combined folded edge strip as above. This second strip will have on one side the leather imitation, or pyroxylin treated surface, and, on the opposite side a gum coated surface applied preferably by way of theusual cold process gum treated methods, which will insure long life and lasting qualities to the gum side.

I then unite the folded strip with the narrow strip, and in this process I effect a fusion of the pyroxylin treated surface. I find that by drawing each strip with the pyroxylin treated surface in contact with the application of suitable solution that these surfaces will be softened and, there-- after, can be pressed together in intimate association, fusing the surfaces into a homogeneous mass and preventing any separation of the layers thus united in any use to which the piping is nor--. mally subjected.

With the construction as above briefly outlined, I then cut the folded edges apart, preferably by a usual zig-zag line, thus leaving a small amount of the narrow strip on each piping edge and with the extreme folded edge free of the gum.

The piping thus made can be rolled on itself on spools or the like without the necessity of interposing a separate layer of non-adhesive ma-- terial, to keep the same from adhering to itself, between the successive windings of the piping. The cold process side will not dry up and is ready for instant use at any time immediately after manufacture or at the end of long periods, such as many months, or even years.

1 My present method also eliminates the prior necessity of buffing or skiving, and provides a method of manufacture free from numerous separate handling and treating operations.

Other objects of the invention, novel combinations of parts, and advantages will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

- Referring to the drawing illustrating a preferred method of manufacture, and the novel article of my present invention,

Fig. l is a view showing the cloth or textile base of the layer which is afterward to be folded;

Fig. 2 illustrates the same with the imitation leather supplied on one surface;

Fig. 3 shows the same in strip formation with the edge portions folded, these figures being on a greatly enlarged scale;

'Figs.'4, 5, and 6 are corresponding views of the cloth base, pyroxylin treated surface, and gum treated opposite surface of the narrow strip, also on an enlarged scale;

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the -method of uniting the folded strip of Fig. 3, and the narrow backing of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 shows the strips united after the' process of Fig. 7 also on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 9 shows the completed piping separated from the combined strip of Fig. 8 by cutting the 7 same on a zig-zag line through the simple portion.

textile base for the narrower strip, and same is indicated at 4, 5 being the pyroxylin orimitation treated surface of this strip. The broadest strip for the piping is then put through a folding operation so that the edge portions of the finished cloth will each be folded outwardly, as indicated in'Fig. 3, these folded edges being designated at I and 8. I

The narrower strip intended to carry the adhesive has a'suitable coating 6 applied to the backing I on the opposite surface to that to which the finish 5 is applied, this coatingqfi being preferably any gum of any lasting quality, and which can be applied to the base I preferably by a cold process. The two strips thus formed are then united, the completed folded strip being desighated as l0, and the narrow strip as l2.

Referring to Fig. '7, a quantity of the folded strip I!) may be supplied in a container I4 and a corresponding quantity of the narrow strip I2 in a similar container IS. The folded strip I0 is then laid around a series of friction rolls l1 and an idler l8, with the top portion in contact with a, tank 29 containing any suitablesolution which will soften the imitation leather or pyroxylin treated surface 2 of the strip It]. This may be fed through a nozzle 2| onto the surface 2 of the folded strip It or through a sponge or in any other suitable manner. Similarly, the narrow strip I2 is led from its container l5 around a series of friction rolls 22 and an idler 23 with its surface 5 on the uppermost side to receive a similar application of solution from the tank 24. 'The respective surfaces 2 and 5 of these strips being of the same, or substantially the same, substances, so that the solution 25 contained inthe tanks 29 and 24 will soften or cut the same as the strips are drawn bythe tanks, will render their contacting surfaces 2 and 5 thus softened and. ready for contact with each other into a fused or homogeneous mass by conducting the two strips through pressure rolls 28 and 29.

One of these rolls is preferably actuated by a spring 30, and thus the two strips are rolled into one, as shown in cross-section on the line 88 of Fig. 7, and as shown in Fig. 8 on an enlarged view.

winding for use.

The completed strip designated as 33 may be collected in a container 35. From the container 35 the now combined strip 33 is preferably run through a suitable cutting process, preferably on a zig-z'ag line as is customary, and as clearly shown in Fig. 9, thus separating the combined strip33 into the two piping strips 38 and 39, each with a foldededge 1 or 8 for the finishing piping portion, and with the cold adhesive 6 for the subsequent application of the piping strip to any article desired. The completed piping strips 38 and 39 thus formed are then rolled on reels for storage, transportation, and subsequent un- During the unwinding, the gumcoated surface 6 is moistened as above explained and'the piping strip is ready for instant application and use.

While I have explained the uniting or fusing of the two strips I0 and I2 of similar material,

such as any of the imitation leathers used, or

i pyroxylin treatments, it will be appreciated that other coatings may be employed which will fuse together by the softening or coating of each surface with a suitable solution as above noted, the important feature being that these surfaces when thus treated and brought in contact under pressure will present a solidified or fused condition as indicated at 40, Fig. 8. This isone of the important novelties of my present invention, and I wish to claim the'same herein broadly.

Furthermore, the use of the folded strip with a gum, such as 6', which will maintain its qualities during long periods of time andstorage, and which can be used without treating, moistening, or heating, or by similar agencies to render same tacky and adhesive, and always ready for instant use, is, I believe, a distinct novelty in this art, and I wish to claim same herein broadly.

Furthermore, the method of manufacturing, and the completed article, wherein the two surfaces of a pair of strips are fused together is, I am advised, a distinct novelty and is claimed broadly herein.

I claim: I

1. The improved process of making finishing strips, welting, or the like, which consists in coating a base with a finishing material, such as pyroxylin or the like, capable of subsequent softening, folding the edges thereof. preparing a second'strip for adhesion thereto with a similar coating capable of softening on one side, and 'an adhesive on the opposite side, softening said sini-' ilar coated sides by the application of a softening agent, bringing said softened surfaces into contact, applying pressure thereto, and thereafter dividing the completed "strip into two separate pipings, each with a folded edge and an adhesive portion.

2. The novel process of making finishing strips, which consistsin applying .to a textile base a pyroxylin coating, forming the same into a strip of suitable width to make two piping strips, folding the edge portions with the treated surfaces outermost, applying a narrow strip of textile material having one surface similarly'coated with pyroxylin and the opposite surface with an adhesive, softening the pyroxylin treated surface of each strip, applying the softened surfaces incontact with sufficientpressure to unite and fuse the same together, and thereafter cutting the combined strip thus formed into two separate piping strips.

AARON W. ROCKWOOD. 

